Live and Let Die was Roger Moore’s first appearance as Bond, how do you feel about Roger’s performance over the seven films he did and the legacy he leaves behind?
Roger did his thing, and he was very good at it.
Absolutely. Moore was never my favourite Bond actor but everyone has their own style. LALD and FYEO were my favourite Moore Bond films.
How confident did you feel that the public would accept a new James Bond after Connery's long time in the role?
There’s only one James Bond and that’s Sean Connery. I saw all of them. Even now, at any age he’s still James Bond.
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Do you still watch Bond films? If so, what do you think of the direction which the films have taken?
I watched all of Roger’s, and no more. I’d make changes to the franchise, they take too long between movies. And it’s insane to talk about a black James Bond or a female James Bond- he’s a white man.
I think we all agree on this. Almost 5 years until NTTD. Such high anticipation, the film could be on a hiding to nothing.
I've always been intrigued by your fighting style with the knife against Bond, it's very elegant, is it based on any particular style or choreographed purely to look good on screen?
I came up with that myself. Thank you for saying it was elegant! My aunt had a dance school in New York, where James Dean and Marlon Brando attended.
Makes me think Kotto is a very humble person.
What was your reaction, when watching Kananga's death scene for the first time at the premiere of LALD?
It was laughable. I tried to persuade the producers to consider doing it again.
I think most people would agree with this.
Kudos to you Barbel and thank you - nice work. I bet you had an extra spring in your step after that As Golrush007 said "an excellent coup" {[]
"Everyone knows rock n' roll attained perfection in 1974; It's a scientific fact". - Homer J Simpson
I watched LALD and noticed the fighting style of Kananga for the first time.
It's pretty nifty work and adds a little something extra to that fight scene and his performance as Dr Kananga. It was great to hear Mr Kotto's answer here about how he came up with it.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Fantastic Barbel, he sounds like very decent chap indeed. Many thanks for bringing us these interviews.
I'm pleased to finally have an answer to the knife fight style, it's even more gratifying to learn it was his own composition, I'd often wondered if it was based on some sort of African tribal movements.
A great little interview. I'd forgotten he was in Across 110th St. ! Also, interesting to read that he choreographed his own fighting style. I always wanted that battle to go on a little longer as it was unusual to see Bond fighting a knifeman (2 brief instances in DN & YOLT aside).
Yaphet was truely a great Bond villain. Moore's 70s protagonists are much 'heavier' than his 80s ones who all seem a trifle sleek. Kotto, Lee, Jurgens & Lonsdale all brought gravitas and some menace to proceedings.
Comments
Kudos to you Barbel and thank you - nice work. I bet you had an extra spring in your step after that
It's pretty nifty work and adds a little something extra to that fight scene and his performance as Dr Kananga. It was great to hear Mr Kotto's answer here about how he came up with it.
I'm pleased to finally have an answer to the knife fight style, it's even more gratifying to learn it was his own composition, I'd often wondered if it was based on some sort of African tribal movements.
I never read this before.
A great little interview. I'd forgotten he was in Across 110th St. ! Also, interesting to read that he choreographed his own fighting style. I always wanted that battle to go on a little longer as it was unusual to see Bond fighting a knifeman (2 brief instances in DN & YOLT aside).
Yaphet was truely a great Bond villain. Moore's 70s protagonists are much 'heavier' than his 80s ones who all seem a trifle sleek. Kotto, Lee, Jurgens & Lonsdale all brought gravitas and some menace to proceedings.
Great job, Barbel. I envy you indeed.
Thank you, chrisno1. I'm going to treasure this memory.
I read earlier today that Kotto was considered to play captain Picard in Star Trek NG.